Humidity, heat grips north India; 7 die as heavy rains lash UP

Mercury was on the rise today in the northern region including the national capital along with humidity levels, even as seven persons perished in rain- related incidents in Uttar Pradesh.
Delhi residents experienced a hot day with the maximum temperature settling at 40.3 degree Celsius, up by two degrees from yesterday's 38.8 degree Celsius and the minimum recorded was at 28.6 degrees Celsius.
Humidity levels oscillated between 65 and 33 per cent in the national capital.
In Uttar Pradesh, seven persons including two minors died in separate rain-related incidents in the state, which was lashed by heavy to very heavy rains in the last 24 hours.

While three members of a family--Bhimsen (35), his wife Shivkumari (30) and their 8-year-old son Sohan were killed when the wall of a house collapsed in Mahsi area, another three-year-old boy Nazeer Ahmad and three others died in rain-related incidents in eastern UP, District Magistrate (Bahraich) Narendra Kumar Singh said today.
The southwest monsoon has been normal over east UP, a MeT department official said, adding that heavy to very heavy rain or thundershower occurred at isolated places over east UP and light to moderate rain or thundershowers occurred at isolated places over western parts of the state.

Temperatures soared in the desert state of Rajasthan where the highest maximum temperature was recorded in Churu at 43 degree Celsius, followed by Kota at 42.7 deg C, Ganganagar at 41.9 deg C, Jaipur and Chittorgarh 41.6 deg C each and Barmer at 41 degree Celsius.

In view of poor and delayed monsoon activity, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has asked all concerned department heads to get ready with a contingency plan to meet the "possible drought" looming over the state.
With little or no rainfall in Punjab and Haryana over the past few days, the maximum temperatures continued to rise.
Bhiwani and Hisar in Haryana braved the hot weather with maximum temperatures recorded at 41.4 degree Celsius and 41 degree Celsius respectively.
In Punjab, Amritsar residents experienced a hot day at 40.2 degree Celsius. Chandigarh residents experienced a sultry day with maximum temperature here settling at 37.4 degree Celsius.